My Foray into My Midwestern Roots

Trying to Bulldoze Through the Brick Walls

There have been several times in the past where I’ve come to a brick wall – more like a cement wall – unmovable and indestructable. When I’ve come to a screeching halt in my research, I’ve generally focused on either other activities or other names in my ancestry. I think it is usually a case where I’m looking so hard at one thing, I can’t see what’s right in front of me.

However, there are still some brick walls that I haven’t been able to even knock one brick out of in order to see a little glimmer of light from the other side.

My research has included checking the census records for the areas in which they died and going backwards as well as any other on-line documentation – wills, marriages, births, deaths, obituaries and newspaper articles. I’ve also asked living family members what they have heard about ancestors in case oral histories have been passed down.